Concentrating-pan.



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTQE.

LOUIS BOWERMAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CONCENTRATING-PAN.

To all til/1.0777 it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS BOWERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentratingfor the separation of values from dry ma-' terial under the stress of fluid pressure, means for the control of the force and direction of such fluid pressure.

A further object is to provide in such a device, means for obviating side currents, and for maintaining the current in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the concentrating surface of the pan.

A still further object is to provide means for automatically discharging the concentrates, or separated materials.

These objects are accomplished by means of the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved pan, with the concentrating plate removed, and a portion of the front wall broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 00-00 of Fig. 1, and showing the concentrating plate in place. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View showing a plan of the portion of the concentrating plate above one of the troughs.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 represents the body of the pan which is rectangular in form and provided across one side with a plate 2, which is fixed upon the bottom of the pan and inclines to the adj acent side portion, to which it is also secured, thereby forming a continuous chamber 3 across that end or side of the pan. Transversely, and at right angles to said chamber is secured a series of partition walls t, each having a flanged edge 5, by means of which it is secured to the bottoms and sides of the pan, and upon the upper portion of which the concentrating plate 6 rests. Intermediate each pair of said walls is provided a damper or door 7, which opens into the compartment formed thereby, and which is controlled by an adjusting rod 8 to regulate the flow of air into the compartment, from the chamber 3, which air will be supplied by a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1913.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

eel-m1 No. 760,483.

blower through the inlet 9. Intermediate each pair of walls, and above each of said doors, is secured a trough 10 which extends from the side wall above the door, to the opposite side wall, near its lower edge, where it communicates with the outlet 11. It is obvious that the number of these compartments with their equipment, will be determined by their dimension and the dimensions of the pan.

Between the upwardly projecting side walls 1, and upon the upper flanged edges of the partition walls is secured the concentrating plate 6, which is provided with transverse series of slots 12, certain of said series being disposed so as to stand directly above each of said troughs 10, said plate forming a cover for the entire pan. To the under surface of said plate, between each pair of walls, and encompassing a series of slots, is a perpendicularly disposed wall 13. These walls are positioned preferably within the lateral edges of the trough, and they may be disposed obliquely, or otherwise, and in desired dimension. The number of such series in each case will be determined by the character of material being worked.

This pan may be supported in a frame upon hangers, by means of the lugs 14;, or in any convenient manner, so that it may be vibrated, to cause the material to pass over the concentrating plate 6.

The air contained in the air chamber 3, under pressure, is admitted into each of the compartments, through their respective dampers, beneath their respective troughs 10. The air must rise over the lateral edges of the trough and flow inwardly beneath the perpendicular walls 13. These currents from each side are of equal strength, and as they mingle and rise through the slots, there will be produced a regular, vertical flow, unaflected by side drafts, or cross currents.

The material will be conducted upon the concentration plate, and, upon agitation of the latter, it will be caused to move along the surface of the plate, over the series of slots which converge to a narrow opening at the bottom. The heavy particles will gravitate into these divergent slots and descend into the trough below from which they will gravitate through the outlet opening 11. The upward currents of air through the slots will carry the lighter particles over and allow only the heavy portions carrying values to descend.

Since the slots and inclosing walls are set along their respective compartments, they thoroughly break up the entering currents, and cause the air to pass out in a steady and regular upward current, which is an essential element in saving values by this method. It equalizes the pressure throughout the compartment.

Having now described my invention what I claim is 1. A separating pan comprising a rectangular casing, transverse compartments formed therein, an air chamber disposed at right angles to them and communicating with each compartment, a conduit disposed longitudinally in each compartment and inclining from the air chamber to an outlet at the opposite side, the walls of each conduit expanding well toward the walls of its compartment, a concentrating plate forming a cover for the casing, having series of openings disposed in vertical alinement with each conduit and at points intermediate the walls thereof, and a perpendicular wall formed on the lower face of the plate about each series of openings.

2. A separating pan adapted to be mechanically vibrated comprising a rectangular casing, transverse compartments formed therein, an air chamber disposed at right angles to said compartments and communieating therewith, a conduit disposed longitudinally in each compartment and inclining from the air chamber to an outlet at the opposite side, the Walls of each conduit expanding well toward those of its compartment and terminating parallel with the upper edge thereof, a concentrating plate forming a cover for the casing, having series of parallel openings disposed at an angle with reference to each other in vertical alinement with each conduit, and a perpendicular wall formed on the lower face of the plate about each series of openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS BOVVERMAN.

Vitnesses:

E. E. HEOKBERT, HAZEL A. ARMSTRONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

